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Correct Answer: Option (C) — The United Nations took over East Timor in 1999 to prepare it for independence
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference Verified- (a) is incorrect because East Timor was a Portuguese colony for over four centuries.
- (b) is incorrect because Portugal abruptly withdrew in 1975 without handing it over; Indonesia invaded and annexed it.
- (c) is correct: Following the August 1999 referendum for independence, the United Nations established the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in October 1999 to administer the territory during its transition to independence.
- (d) is incorrect because East Timor formally achieved internationally recognized independence on May 20, 2002.
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